Table.



J. M. Homan.

TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1910. 983,903. Patented Feb.14,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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J. M. HORTON. TABLE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1S, 1910.

983,903. Patented Feb.14,1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I'HE MORRIS PETERS ca., wAsHlNcruN. D. 1:A

JOSEPH MERRITT HORTON,

OF FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA.

TABLE.

escena.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application tiled May 18,

Patented Feb. 1li, 1911. 1ero. serial no. 562,079.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be .it known that I, Josncrr M. I-Ion'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fillmore, in the county of Ventura and Stat-e of California, have invented a new and useful rIable, of which the following is a speciiication.

rlhis invention relates to tables, and the object of the invention is to provide a table which may be readily disineinbered in order to econoinize space in storage or transportation, and which, when set up for use, will be strong and steady.

i further object of the invention is to provide a table having the stated characteristics, which will be inexpensive in construction, and which niay be readily set up or taken down by any unskilled person.

These objects, and such other incidental objects as will hereinafter appear, are attained in the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in certain novel features thereof which will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claim, in detail.

In the annexed drawings, Figures l and 2 are vertical sections taken at right angles and illustrating a table embodying my iniprovements. Fig. 3 is a view showing the top of the table in bottom plan and showing the legs in horizontal section. Fig. el is a` bottom plan view of the table top with the legs removed. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the upper portion of one of the legs.

In carrying out my present invention, I employ a top l, in the under side of which, near opposite edges, I secure plates 2 having openings 3 near their opposite ends. These openings 3 register with countersunk recesses or sockets 4t in the under side of the table top and the plates are so arranged as to extend across the grain of the table, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4t. The legs 5 are arranged in pairs, the members of each pair being connected at their upper ends by a cross bar G and at a point between their ends by a round 7, as shown. In the upper ends ef the legs, I provide grooves in which are seated bars 8, each having one end formed into a hook 9 adapted to pass through the opening 3 and enter the socket 4lso as to engage the inner face of the plate 2, as shown in Fig. l, and thereby lock the legs to the table top. The bars are formed integral with the upper ends of rods or proper angle thereto to form a central core for the legs. The bars S extend entirely across the upper ends of the legs and project inward beyond the cross bar 6 so as to forni stops l0 which may extend past each other, as shown in Figs. l and 3, and thereby hold the legs in proper position relative to the table top and prevent straining of the keeper plates 2 by the hooks 9. In order to maintain the legs in their separated condition and to brace the saine so as to impart rigidity to the table, I employ a shelf ll which is provided with transverse grooves 12 in its under side near its opposite edges adapted to engage the rounds 7, as indicated in Fig. l. As shown in Figs. l and 2, this shelf l1 is of such dimensions as to extend between the legs of each pair and engage the round 7 therein so as to elfectually resist any tendency of the pairs of legs to spread, while there' is no distending force exerted by the shelf on the legs which would tend to spread the members of each pair and thereby cause collapse of the table.

The table, when set up, shown in Figs. l and 9 and the stops l0 will bear against the unde' side of the top, while the hooks 9 will pass through the openings 3 and engage the keeper plates, as clearly shown. In order to take down the table, the shelf 1l. is first inoved upwardly suiiiciently to disengage the grooves 12 from the rounds '7 and is then moved lat- X erally from between the legs, after which the l l l pins 8a which depend from the bars at the l |I will appear as pairs of legs are swung around so as to lie substantially flat against the side of the table top and project beyond the saine, in which position a slight lifting movement will disengage the hooks 9 from the table top so that the parts will be separated. In assembling the table, the parts are brought together in an order the reverse of that just described, as will be readily understood.

It will be observed that my table is coinposed of very few parts which are simple in construction and may be quickly put together by any unskilled person. then the table has been set up, it will have all the ornamental and neat appearance of an ordinary table and will be free of unsightly braces or locks which tend to detract from l the appearance of the usual knockdown i table. The stops l0, as soon as they come i into correct position, arrest ein swinging movement of the legs so that undue strain and bending of the hooks and keeper' plates is avoided. The shelf 11 serves as a tying member so as to hold the parts irmly to gether and at the same time may be readily detached so as to permit the taking down. of the table.

The advantages of the construction and of -the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which. the invention a'ppertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together' with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desii-ed as are within the scope oit the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is z- The combination of a top having sockets in its under side, legs, vertical rods fitted within the upper portions of the legs, transverse bars projecting from and formed in tegral with the rods and extending across the upper ends of the legs, each of said bars having its outer end formed with a hook to engage the sockets of the top, while the other ends of the bars bear against the under side of the top, and means for tying the legs together in pairs.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto atiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH MERRITT HORTON.

Titnesses z F. L. FAmBANKs, A. VARRING. 

